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Each year, organizations such as U.S. News & World Report, Princeton Review, Forbes, and others release a list of the nation’s best schools. The lists are based on everything from graduation and retention rates to student selectivity. Because these organizations are considered the authority on the best schools, hundreds of “top schools” lists have cropped up. The people behind these lists, typically students, alums, bloggers, and small publishers, focus on a variety of other factors. These factors are usually considered priority because they may affect the student’s pocketbook and maybe even his social life.

When it comes to the country’s official “best of” lists, what makes an animation school program the best depends on a number of factors that may not have anything to do with enrollment figures or the cost of tuition. Most college ranking agencies use factors such as the number of program offerings, faculty resources (teacher-student ratio), graduation and retention rates, financial resources, student selectivity, and peer assessment to determine the best. Sure, tuition costs matter to just about every parent and student on the planet, and a large student body may sound appealing, but for the purposes of separating what agencies consider “good” schools from “great” schools, these factors don’t carry as much weight as others.

Arizona is home to 84 Title IV degree-granting institutions. Because they have met five requirements established by the U.S. Department of Education, these schools are eligible for Title IV Federal Financial Aid programs. In order to qualify a school must (1) grant an associate's degree or higher, (2) offer a program of at least 300 clock hours in length, (3) have accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, (4) be in business for at least two years, and (5) sign a participation agreement with the Department.

Arizona is no stranger to Hollywood. In fact, The Arizona Film Office of the Arizona Department of Commerce has a number of major productions to its credit, and many are classics. Sean Penn's Into the Wild (2007) was filmed in parts of Bullhead City, Kingman, Page, and Yuma, and scenes from The Savages (2007) were filmed on location in Sun City. The Oscar winning film Little Miss Sunshine (2006) made its way through Chandler, Flagstaff, and Phoenix, and scenes from Star Wars Episodes IV and VI (1977 and 1983), Natural Born Killers (1994), Psycho (1960), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Forrest Gump (1994), Planet of the Apes (1968), Wayne’s World (1992) and Casablanca (1942) were filmed here.

The Arizona Film Office attracts major productions such as these by offering incentives, access to picturesque shooting locations, and easy access to local talent and staff. As a result, the Arizona film industry continues to thrive, attracting production companies from all over the U.S. and abroad. This includes animation studios.

In addition to an active film and video industry, the State of Arizona is home to a variety of advertising agencies located in major cities such as Phoenix and Tucson; it is home to the Tucson Animation Screening Society (TASS), which promotes Japanese animation (anime) for the University of Arizona, and it is home to top-rated art and design schools such as the Southwest University of the Visual Arts (SUVA), which offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in animation and the University of Advancing Technology (UAT), which offers a BA in Game Art and Animation.

The Arizona Film Office of the Arizona Department of Commerce has a number of major productions to its credit—many are classics. Sean Penn's Into the Wild (2007) was filmed in parts of Bullhead City, Kingman, Page, and Yuma, and certain scenes from The Savages (2007) were filmed on location in Sun City. The Oscar winning film Little Miss Sunshine (2006) made its way through Chandler, Flagstaff, and Phoenix, and scenes from Star Wars Episodes IV and VI (1977 and 1983), Natural Born Killers (1994), Psycho (1960), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Forrest Gump (1994), Planet of the Apes (1968), Wild Wild West (1999), Wayne’s World (1992) and Casablanca (1942) were filmed here.

The Arizona Film Office attracts major productions such as these by offering incentives, access to picturesque shooting locations, and easy access to local talent and staff. As a result, the Arizona film industry continues to thrive, attracting production companies from all over the U.S. and abroad. This includes animation studios.

In addition to an active film and video industry, the State of Arizona is home to a variety of advertising agencies located in major cities such as Phoenix and Tucson; it is home to the Tucson Animation Screening Society (TASS), which promotes Japanese animation (anime) for the University of Arizona, and it is home to top-rated art and design schools such as the Southwest University of the Visual Arts (SUVA), which offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in animation and the University of Advancing Technology (UAT), which offers a BA in Game Art and Animation.